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Thread: How do I suspension swap?

  1. #1
    THAT'S AWESOME, CHEN FooSchnickens's Avatar
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    How do I suspension swap?

    I dunno, lol.

    If that's your answer to the question then I have the solution. Over the next day or so while I play manager/mechanic here at the shop I'm going to be doing a very detailed writeup of a full suspension swap complete with pretty pictures.

    Many people have been asking for this and now that I have a car here that needs the job done I will be doing the project and taking you along every step of the way.

    To preface the actual write-up (which will get posted tomorrow), I will go over a few basic points that will help complete newbies understand what all is going on, and also explain my methodology for certain points of the swap.

    To begin, swapping out your suspension is not nearly as hard as some people make it seem. So long as you have all your tools and supplies prepared, there's very little that can impede your progress through the course of the job other than discovering old stock parts that are well past their prime and need replacement. A basic understanding of mechanics, a good tool set and a level head are about all you will need to breeze through this.

    For the newbies:

    While this isn't a hard project, it is certainly one you want to do RIGHT. This is a major part of your car we're talking about. Skimping out somewhere or calling it "good enough" could lead to disastrous results down the road. Take your time and don't rush things. I know you want to slap your new toys on and go tear up the streets ASAP, but your noggin is worth more than needing to buy new tires every other month.

    First thing is tools. A good tool set will make any project go smoothly. You don't have to have the latest and greatest in Matco/Snap On/Cornwell to finish a job. At home, I use a fairly basic tool set made by Husky that has both standard and metric sockets (in 1/4", 3/8" and 1/2" drive) and spanners, an assortment of flathead and phillips head screwdrivers, nut drivers in standard and metric, and some other knick-knacks like extensions and step-ups/downs. That kit cost me $250 and has been nothing short of exceptional for any job I do. Having the right tool for the job is always a good thing. Also, take good care of your tools. The last thing you want to do is replace them after using them for something other than their intended purpose. Clean them up after each use as well. It not only keeps your box and hands clean, but also keeps them working better a lot longer.

    Next up is having a good sense of mechanics. There's not much I can say here since you either feel comfortable working on the cars or you don't. What I can say is that common sense is essential here. If a bolt isn't coming off easily, STOP! You don't want to strip it or shear it off. Penetrating lube is essential when working on older cars, so be liberal with it! Other things like that fall into play as well like proper jacking techniques, proper tool usage and many other things.

    Lastly is have all your parts and equipment in order. You wouldn't start a project without first having all the parts you need, so be sure you have EVERYTHING you need, be it shocks, boots, bolts, new sway bars, or anything else your project may demand. Also be sure to have your equipment sorted like shop rags, cleaners, lubes, etc.

    If it's your first time doing a job, label everything you take off. Using baggies is a good method to help keep everything in order when it's off the car. At the shop we use the bottoms off of milk cartons to hold nuts and bolts. They're cheap if you drink a lot of milk or OJ and can also double as epoxy mixing basins or a plethora of other uses. Making a list of everything you've done is a good thing to do as well. It will let you know where you left off if you take a break, and will also let you retrace your steps in case something doesn't seem right. If you leave your project overnight or even a few days, leave a note on the windshield (or wherever you're working so you'll see it) to remind you if anything is loose or missing if you need to move the car. You wouldn't want a wheel (or worse) to fall off because it wasn't tightened down.

    Ok, boring stuff is over. If you feel confident that you fulfill the above criteria then get in there and do it!

    This install will be on an NA, but I will also include notes on NB installations since they are ever so slightly different in a few places. The shocks and springs going in are Koni yellows with Eibach springs, but the same steps will apply for pretty much any installation. What I won't cover is coilover adjustment, since everyone is after different things with their setup be it ride height or dampening settings.

    Check this thread in the coming days as updates are posted!

    Here's the beast that will be getting the surgery done:



    More to come tomorrow from pollen-infested GA!

    Quote Originally Posted by wildfire0310 @ Tue Apr 08, 2008 1:38 pm
    This seem like a very well need photo now days, with the ever decreasing cost of the Miata and the increase of a younger crowd that comes because of it. It will be good to have a good write on this. Maybe next time to do a brake job you can do a write up on that also.



    Quote Originally Posted by FooSchnickens @ Tue Apr 08, 2008 12:20 pm
    More to come tomorrow from pollen-infested GA!

    Is that really a sunburst car or just covered in pollen.
    You caught me, it's really my car under a coat of pollen

    Quote Originally Posted by iRoadster @ Tue Apr 08, 2008 2:04 pm
    Any particular reason for the Koni yellow's/ Eibach setup?
    It's simply what the customer brought in. I won't go into the ups and downs of any combo since opinions are like assholes and that's a can of worms i'd rather not open

    Anywho, here's some progress for today:

    I apologize for a few fuzzy pics, it's harder to one-hand an SLR than you think Nothing vital is lost, just clarity.

    Here is a quick walkthrough of all the tools you will NEED for this job. There are a few others that make it easier, but i'm going for the barebones approach here for those without a toolchest the size of Bill Goldberg.



    From left to right: Air gun (i like to have it to blow off any excess brake dust, it helps keep me and what i'm working on clean), Impact gun (not totally necessary, but every home mechanic shouldn't be without one), hammer/mallet, phillips head screwdriver and flat heat screwdriver (not pictured, was in use at the time >_< ), flashlight, 3/8" ratchet with 10mm and 14mm sockets, 6" 3/8" socket extension, 1/4" ratchet with 14mm and 17mm sockets (I have swivel heads of both size because they're easier to get in place with the gun or ratchet) plus whatever socket size your wheel lugs are (most likely 19mm or 21mm), short 1/4" socket extension, and a 14mm and 17mm spanner.

    It may seem like quite a laundry list, but to someone who has a basic tool set, all of these shuold be accounted for. If you're missing something from that list, beg, borrow or steal it (please don't) for this project.

    Let's Begin!



    First, get the car up on stands (or a lift) so that all four wheels are off the ground and remove the wheels. Set them aside because you're not going to need them for a while. Be sure to remember which wheel went where because this is a good time to rotate your tires.



    Here's what the front assembly looks like. We can see the shock and spring assembly behind the brake rotor and the upper and lower control arms.



    Moving underneath the lower control arm we see three bolts. This is where you're going to start wrenching. From left to right they are for the lower steering knuckle, shock absorber, and sway bar end link.



    Here is a view of the back side of the whole assembly. Again, you can see the bolts for the sway bar end link and shock absorber mount.

    Now let's hop to it!



    Grab your 14mm socket and spanner and remove the bolt holding the sway bar end link in place. There is a lock washer on this so be sure not to lose it.



    You remeber those milk jugs? Yeah, they're handy. I usually use one bottom for each corner since I know where everything goes, but you may want to keep everything seperate for now until you get comfortable. Always re-assemble any bolts and nuts you take off so that you ensure you use the same hardware when putting everything back together. This also makes it harder to lose small items like washers and nuts. d('_'d)

    f00tography
    Chean Chay: they dont have pho in mexico
    In our minds. In our reality. In our world we are QUEEN DUCHESS TEAPOT HABERDASHERY!! RULER OF ALL!! PARTY OF ONE!!!
    http://i143.photobucket.com/albums/r...9616511700.png

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  3. #2
    THAT'S AWESOME, CHEN FooSchnickens's Avatar
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    Now grab your 17mm socket and spanner and take off the bolt on the lower shock mount. This bolt is a bit stubborn so get your hammer and phillips screwdriver and tap it out. If it doesn't want to come all the way out, STOP! Get your ratchet or air gun and slowy unscrew it from the hole. The tension on the bolt will let the threads unscrew it out of the hole and not screw anything up.

    Now, this is where my technique departs from the "conventional" method. Most people say to remove the upper control arm bolt but I think it's only good for wasting 45 minutes of your time. You have to take off the undertray, wrestle this six mile long bolt out, and well, you get the picture. This way you're removing two small bolts and only taking about 10 minutes per side to do it.



    Again with your 17mm gear, remove the bolt holding the lower knuckle in place. But don't start pulling yet! There one more bolt hidden inside...



    Using your good ol' size 12 (or in my case 11) push down on the brake so that the shock pops free of its hole. When it does that reach under and prop it up on the back side of the hole it used to sit in like so:





    Now get in there with your 17mm socket and remove that last bolt. Once you break it free, take your flathead screwdriver and pry up underneath the bolt to lift up the tongue. This will make it easier to unscrew.



    She's free! To the milk jug with you!



    Now grab the bottom of hte knuckle assembly and give it a few good tugs. The whole piece should pull free and swing up.

    Time to move topside!



    Grab your 3/8" drive and 14mm socket and remove the two bolts holdting the upper shock mount in place.



    Grab your size 12 again and this time push down on the lower control arm. This will get everything out of the way below the shock. Now with one hand grab the shock and with the other push down on the upper control arm. It shouldn't take too much and then the shock will...



    Be free!

    The process is the same for the driver and passenger side, just flipped.

    Tomorrow we'll talk about rear shock removal and assembly of shocks and springs.



    Stay tuned!

    Sorry for the delay in updates, I had a few other higher priority cars that I needed to take care of.

    Anywho, here's the rest of the bid'ness:

    When we last left off, I had gone over removing the front shocks. I'll briefly go over putting them back in. No pictures for this since all the ones above illustrate what i'm talking about and if you've taken them out you'll probably figure out how to get them back in ;)

    First, put the new shock back in place. If you're putting in coilovers chances are it will just go right in without having to move anything out of the way. If you're using standard shocks and springs you'll probably have to do a similar jig like when you removed them. Once they're in place, thread on the nuts to the upper mounts but don't tighten them.

    When reinstalling the front shocks there's only one little area that causes trouble and that's putting the lower knuckle mount back into the lower control arm. Sometimes it slides right in, but on some older cars a little more persuasion is necessary. I find that using a screwdriver through the bolt hole helps me keep it straight while inserting it into the LCA and also helps me hold it if I need to tap it in with a hammer, which is often the case. Once you get it going you can either tap it in with your mallet or just shove with your hands. Re-install the long sideways bolt that holds it in place but don't tighten it yet! You still have to put the smaller inner bolt back in place as well. Pop the shock back on the little "perch" above the little hole it sits in so you can get to it.

    Getting this back in may take a couple tries. This is where your flathead screwdriver comes in real handy. Get under the tongue and pry up on it until it sits flush. Two screwdrivers soemtimes makes this easier. Once you do that, start threading the bolt back in and tighten it. Word of warning here, I like to use the socket combined with the short extension to thread it because i've had the shock pop out off of its little perch several times while doing this. You don't want to have your fingers down in there if it pops free.

    Once you get the inner bolt tightened, go ahead and tighten the long one. Pop the lower shock mount into it's hole and get the bolt through. If it doesn't want to go in, use a screwdriver to move it around until the holes line up. If you get it started going but it's still stuck lightly tap it. If it stops moving, stop tapping. Get your ratchet/impact gun and thread it through, then tighten it down. Be sure to use the lock washer.

    Now you can tighten the upper mount in the engine bay. Be sure not to overtighten these. They CAN and WILL strip/shear if you make them too tight. I believe the torque spec is something like 20-30 ft/lbs but I just get them "tight." "Tight" for me is basically a quick tug past when the nut snugs up.

    Now re-install the sway bar end links and you'll be mostly done in the front. Now comes your proofreading. In the racing world there's a process known as "nut & bolting." This is where they go over every inch of the car and physically touch and double-torque every nut and bolt on it. You're going to do the same thing, but not with every nut and bolt on the car. Remember that list I had you make? Go over it again and double check everything on there that you loosened or touched. check any other vital components around there as well like brake lines or the rotors, etc. Be sure everything is in ship shape before you put a "done" stamp on it.
    f00tography
    Chean Chay: they dont have pho in mexico
    In our minds. In our reality. In our world we are QUEEN DUCHESS TEAPOT HABERDASHERY!! RULER OF ALL!! PARTY OF ONE!!!
    http://i143.photobucket.com/albums/r...9616511700.png

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  5. #3
    THAT'S AWESOME, CHEN FooSchnickens's Avatar
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    Hooray! You're half done! Now to move on to the rear.





    Pop open your trunk and remove your spare tire and the metal cover piece. It is held in place by 4 10mm bolts. Later NA and NB owners just have a molded carpeted piece that is held in place by several plastic clips.



    I like to place all the bolt/clips on the cover you take off. It has a natural valley that's good for holding stuff like that. Just be sure to place it out of the way so you won't kick it and send parts flying.



    You now have access to the upper mounts. Removing the bolts is easy for the spare tire side, but on the other side you have to deal with all the gas tank equipment being in the way.



    I use a deep 14mm socket for this, but you can use a standard depth socket with a short extension and be fine.

    You can access the rear nut by going over,



    or under the piping for the gas tank.



    I prefer going under. The deep 14mm socket or extended standard socket is a perfect fit for getting under there and staying level. If you try going over the pipes, you can't get a really good grip on the nut and may strip it in the process. Sometimes you'll find a socket/extension combo that will work for going over, so if it seats fully on the nut, go for it.

    Once all the nuts are removed, it's time to go back under the car.



    It's more or less the same process as the front, but no lower knuckle removement. Is that a word? Removement. I like it. I shall keep it. Remove the nuts and bolts holding the sway bar end links in place.



    Now move on to the lower shock mount. You'll probably have to do the same trick with removing this bolt that you did on the front. You can use a flathead to pry on the flange of the bolt head to get the threads out a bit, then unscrew it with your ratchet/impact gun.



    Now, NB owners will probably have to remove this bolt connecting the upper control arm to the knuckle. Sometimes you'll be able to get the stuff out, but 9.99/10 times removing this bolt will be necessary. NA owners can do the same, but it's not necessary. It'll make removing them easier, but it's up to you if you want to remove it. I just leave it be.

    Removal of the shock is the same process as the front. Push down on the brake or lower control arm while pulling the shock towards you and then pull it out once it's free from the upper mount area. The rear arms can be a lot stiffer than the front, so if you have a buddy handy have him push while you handle getting the shock out.

    Re-installation is the same as the front. Put the new shock in place, thread the upper mount nuts on, put the lower mount bolt in, reinstall the bolt for the upper control arm if you removied it, and reinstall the sway bar end links. Be sure to nut & bolt everything you touched like you did with the front.

    Hooray! You're done!

    This job on average takes me about 3-4 hours if I do it in one sitting. You can do it faster, but unless you have a serious deadline to meet, just take your time and get it done right.
    f00tography
    Chean Chay: they dont have pho in mexico
    In our minds. In our reality. In our world we are QUEEN DUCHESS TEAPOT HABERDASHERY!! RULER OF ALL!! PARTY OF ONE!!!
    http://i143.photobucket.com/albums/r...9616511700.png

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  7. #4
    THAT'S AWESOME, CHEN FooSchnickens's Avatar
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    One last thing concerning this job is shock disassembly and reassembly.

    You WILL need a spring compressor for this part, so if you don't have one, go get one. They make cheap ones that you can use a socket on to compress the springs and they work well enough. I think they go for about 10-15 bux.

    Anywho, here's what you're going to end up with:



    From left to right: Dust boot, shock absorber, bump stop, top hat and...



    Spring.

    This is for NA shocks, NBs have a few more parts that go on the top hats, so make careful notes of the order that everything goes on. I'll append that information to this when I do an install on an NB.

    If you're replacing your shocks but keeping your springs or vice versa you'll need to take your stock units apart to get parts off of them. To do that, grab your 17mm socket and get busy. I prefer using the impact gun because it's quicker.



    Be sure to have a box behind the top hat to catch all the parts that are gonna fly off. They won't go far, but you don't want to be hunting around for them either ;)

    With all your parts laid out in the correct order, compress your spring. You want it short enough that you can stick the shock through and be able to fully tighten the nut on the shock piston. You will probably have to put the shock through the spring before putting the bump stop and dust boot in place.



    Slip the top hot in place and thread the nut in on top. The stock nut is a 17mm, but some aftermarket setups use 14mm or even 19mm nuts.



    Use HAND TOOLS to tighten the nut on the shock piston. Air tools can royally screw up the threads on the piston and can also scramble the innards of the shocks in some cases.

    If you're using lowering springs you may not have to compress the springs all that much if at all. Some stout rope and a stick can act as a makeshift spring compressor if you're in a bind.

    And that pretty much does it. Shock removal, installation and disassembly all in one convenient package. I don't think I left anything out, but if I did feel free to point it out to me.

    <3 Foo
    f00tography
    Chean Chay: they dont have pho in mexico
    In our minds. In our reality. In our world we are QUEEN DUCHESS TEAPOT HABERDASHERY!! RULER OF ALL!! PARTY OF ONE!!!
    http://i143.photobucket.com/albums/r...9616511700.png

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  9. #5
    THAT'S AWESOME, CHEN FooSchnickens's Avatar
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    I've had a lot of people ask me why I don't use the long bolt method. I mentioned why briefly in the preface of the how-to, but I'll try to explain a bit better.

    I see the long bolt method as a waste of time. Nothing more. It DOES work, I'm not arguing that fact. It produces the same end result but at the expense of having to do several extra steps and... well you get the idea.

    The first time I did a suspension swap I used the long bolt method and wondered how people could find this process "easy." If you had any kind of suspension damage the bolt would probably be seized in place and not want to come out. With the long bolt method you also have to remove the plastic belly pan which is always an annoyance when you don't have a lift at your disposal. Heck, I find it annoying even WITH a lift at my disposal

    The reason I now use this method (Or as some people call it the "san diego" method. Am I the only one who finds that to be a flamingly gay name for it?) is because of time and simplicity. I can knock out a complete suspension swap in a matter of a couple hours this way and give me more time to get other stuff done.

    SO, with that laid out, QUIT ASKING ME. :evil:

    f00tography
    Chean Chay: they dont have pho in mexico
    In our minds. In our reality. In our world we are QUEEN DUCHESS TEAPOT HABERDASHERY!! RULER OF ALL!! PARTY OF ONE!!!
    http://i143.photobucket.com/albums/r...9616511700.png

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  11. #6
    1,000 rpm - releasing the clutch jdmfc3s90's Avatar
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    This has always been a great write up for R&R on suspension. IM glad this was brought over. Thanks.

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    Individual-1 ☚ ☻ ☛ Agent☣Orange's Avatar
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    I can't read too good but with all those pictures, it's almost as if I were there! Above-and-beyond effort!

  13. #8
    2,000 rpm - light wheelspin, no bog here! hooligan's Avatar
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    excellent write up above.

    couple of videos here explaining suspension swaps, just thought i would share them

    part 1

    http://youtu.be/3yryChmQd7o

    part 2

    http://youtu.be/x572E1jl22M

    if i could figure out how to make them show up as video square i would! so if you know how please feel free to edit them!

    hope it helps and adds to the knowledge that is out there already

  14. #9
    1,000 rpm - releasing the clutch Boris's Avatar
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    Interesting approach on the front lower ball joint.
    I prefer to loosen the castle nut, give the spindle a few good whacks with a BFH and break the taper free.
    Either way, it works.

    Nice write up and fancy gloves you have there.

  15. #10
    2,000 rpm - light wheelspin, no bog here!
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    i used this write up when i did the coils on my nb

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    Individual-1 ☚ ☻ ☛ Agent☣Orange's Avatar
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    I did the long bolt method once...once.

  17. #12
    3,000 rpm - starting to feel the power iRoadster's Avatar
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    I don't get why people think the long bolt method is easier. I used this writeup when I put on my Basics.
    With one helper and a few hand tools (no compressed air tools) it only took about 3 hours get finished.
    That included the smoke breaks and taking my time since it was the first time I had swapped coilovers.
    Probably could do it in two hours now.

  18. #13
    3,000 rpm - starting to feel the power Thumper13's Avatar
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    San Diego method is the fastest,for us over here. No spring compressors,that's what a floor jack is for.

    Thanks to Foo for a great write up,even a literate challenged Yata can figure it out.

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    2,000 rpm - light wheelspin, no bog here! Skinny's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Boris View Post
    Interesting approach on the front lower ball joint.
    I prefer to loosen the castle nut, give the spindle a few good whacks with a BFH and break the taper free.
    Either way, it works.

    Nice write up and fancy gloves you have there.
    I used Foo's way when I did my 99, it was a pain in my ass to get the bolt to line back up with out it wanting to cross thread though. Did the castle nut on my 91 and the whole removal and install took about an hour, could have been done in less if it wasnt 1000° outside

  20. #15
    Idling - Listen to it purr...
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    Great write up!


    From my experience, the long bolt method is worthless on front impact junkyard miatas.
    Unless it's front unibody is completely straight, the long bolt will hit the swaybar mount thingee.

    Other than that I personally prefer long bolt method.

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